[Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Director's Journal are solely those of Michael Luick-Thrams, Executive Director of the TRACES Center for History and Culture, based in Saint Paul/Minnesota, and the Burr Oak Center for Durable Culture, located in Turin/Iowa. They may or may not be views shared by TRACES Board of Directors members, TRACES or Burr Oak staff or interns, or others involved with either project. They do, however, reflect the experiences and inner workings of the projects' Executive Director, and thus affect the scope and quality of their impact.]